Innovative Nanotechnology Approach in Food Products

Novel Nanotechnology Approach to Extend Shelf Life in Food According to a statement from the university, a project titled "Innovative nanotechnology approach to extend the shelf life of shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei and Macrobrachium rosenbergii) using plant-based bioactive compounds," conducted under the leadership of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Furkan Türker Sarıcaoğlu, Faculty Member at the Department of Food Engineering, BTÜ Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, will receive contributions from scientists at six universities and institutions located in two Far Eastern countries outside Turkey. Within the project scope, waste materials in the form of shells, seeds, and liquids resulting from production activities in the fruit and vegetable processing industry will be used for recovery purposes to extend the shelf life of food products. Nanotechnological approaches will be addressed to extend the shelf life of seafood products, which have a global economic value of approximately USD 20 billion, in the production and export sectors. The project will focus on new types of food preservation materials to be obtained using mango leaves, green tea residue, cinnamon herb leaves and bay leaves, which are waste from the food processing sector. The 36-month project, involving 10 scientists, will concentrate on extending the shelf life of processed shrimp in particular among seafood products. The project scope also seeks to find a new path for industrial growth and national economy through the use of high-value compounds that are currently considered waste in the food processing sector where significant food losses occur, but which can be recovered through a specific process. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Furkan Türker Sarıcaoğlu, Faculty Member of the Food Engineering Department at BTÜ and project leader, whose assessments were included in the statement, conveyed that researchers in other countries participating in the project with them will work simultaneously and in coordination. Noting that conducting simultaneous research within the project scope is both challenging and important, Sarıcaoğlu emphasized that the presence of national and international partners to the project will accelerate the contribution planned to be made to the sector. Stating that the sector will adopt the project outputs in the short term, Sarıcaoğlu said, "The development and characterization of nanotechnological products for improving the shelf life of shrimp in the current project will be carried out by the BTÜ Food Engineering Department, which is the Turkish partner in the project. Furthermore, phycocyanin pigments obtained from microalgae will be used in nano-sensors to be developed for monitoring shelf life in shrimp." he assessed. Noting that the project involves faculty members from Turkey, Thailand and Malaysia, Sarıcaoğlu stated: "Shrimp are generally exported and sold in the market either fresh or cooked. Despite their high market value, shrimp are foods with limited shelf life and extremely perishable. This deterioration significantly reduces the market value of the product and causes financial losses. Additives are commonly used to extend the shelf life of shrimp. These substances can cause allergic reactions and serious health problems in people with asthma. In contrast, previous studies have reported that additives obtained from plants such as green tea, mulberry leaves, guava leaves, olive oil by-products and similar sources extend the shelf life of shrimp during refrigerated storage. In light of these studies, our work on recovering and utilizing high-value compounds obtainable from waste generated by agricultural product processing (APW) will provide a new path for waste management, industrial growth and the national economy." he said. Source